Disclaimer: No, I do not own POTC, nor do I ever dream of doing so. The people who own it did a fine job of everything, including Will's...erm...small...uhh...mishap. Yes. Let's call it that. Also, This is the first and last time I will say this. There's no need to explain something more than once, in front of every chapter. Why waste space?

Guardian

A regal woman with long silver hair sat at the head of the chaos, watching through seemingly uncaring eyes at the ruckus that was unfolding before her

A regal woman with long silver hair sat at the head of the chaos, watching through seemingly uncaring eyes at the ruckus that was unfolding before her. The men swung anything they could find, bashing one another over the heads and spilling each others blood. And, in the midst of it all, stood a girl.

Her sea-green eyes were fixated on the woman, long black hair falling over her shoulders. Her skin was tanned from days in the sun; her formerly soft hands calloused from the hard work she had endured. From the way she held herself one could see clearly that she was once one of great stature. No more, however, was she so. Now, with the thread-bare black pants hanging from her curvaceous hips, the black vest tightened around her breasts, a bustier the color of her eyes tightened around her torso. Her pink lips were pursed, hate growing as she stared at the woman. Raising a bottle, she tipped it to her, then took a swig, swallowing before screaming and slamming it down on the table.

Around her, everyone of the men stopped, staring at her, amazed that such a large sound could come from such a small girl.

"Idiots." She spat. "All of you."
Proudly, she tossed her head, the trinkets that hung from the once again sea green bandanna tinkling around with her hair, sparkling like sunlight on waves.
"Fighting like dogs, over something so trivial." She used a long sleeve tied to her arm to brush away the glass, the white bandages that wrapped around her hand protecting it from the sharp edges. "The decision is not yours, anyways. It's hers." She spoke with great contempt. Tossing her head again, she looked at the woman, who had since began to smile softly; however, it was slow turning to a smirk.

"Do you truly believe, my dear, that you can do this?" She asked the girl, who crossed her arms.
"I'm here, aren't I?" She said, looking the woman straight in her dark eyes.
"Yes, yes you are…" The woman drew designs on the arms of her chair with her fingertips, moistening her lips with her tongue before looking up at the girl. "I have made my decision…" The girl straightened, looking up at her almost hopefully.
"You shall sail."
As the words left the woman's lips, she doubted her decision, looking at the barely past teenage girl before her. She would never survive this, the woman decided. It would end her life…

Enthusiastically, and for the first time since her arrival, the girl smiled brightly.

"But.."

The smile disappeared, and a dark cloud passed through her shockingly electric eyes, black eyebrows furrowing and shading the beautiful face.

"Not alone." Finished the woman. Sarcasm flitted on the girls tongue as she replied, rolling her eyes.

"Well of course not." She said. "I shall have a crew. Unless you didn't think I would. I'm not that incompetent!"
"Yes of course you aren't. You shall have a crew…but that is not what I meant." Gesturing about the room. "This is not the company a young woman such as yourself should keep."
"Who are you to decide?" The girl spat, propping her hands on her hips with a challenge on her tongue.
"Your queen." The woman said steadily. "And your care taker."
"You care not for me." The girl said. "You only kept me here because my 'masters' left me here!" She slammed a foot into the wooden floor angrily. "I had no way of going back then! But now, I do, and you deny me that?!"
"I said not that I would deny anything."
"You said but. That's another word for no." The girl said sharply.

The woman pushed her hands through her hair. She was getting to old for this, she thought. Pushing 50, and she still squabbled with teenagers. Of course, this girl could hardly be called a 'teenager' anymore…Sighing, she waved a hand.
"Shall I continue, or do you wish to stay here?"

That quieted the girl, alright. Looking through the crowd at one young man in particular, she smiled. Then, she spoke again.
"But…you must take a guardian."
"May I choos…"

"No." She interrupted the girl. "I will choose for you. Someone trustworthy…someone you cannot seduce to your will."
This irked her, obviously, and made the woman chuckle.
"My man has no interest in you, obviously. That would be why I chose him. He will sail with you, and each year you will return here whether you wish it or not. He will make sure of that. One day, each year, you will return. Perhaps, if you survive long enough, I will extend your leash."

The girl's eyes flashed at the thought of being controlled even while on the sea. However, she kept her mouth shut. There was nobody here that she couldn't control. No man, anyways, she thought, almost irritated by the fact. Usually it worked on everyone, gender or no…of course, this woman did already have another's heart, and clearly wished for no other. Looking at the woman through falsely calm eyes, she raised one eyebrow.
"And who, pray tell, may that be?"

The woman smirked, as if she knew the girls thoughts. "Nobody you know."
This statement cut into her confidence, and she almost faltered. "Who?" She repeated, taking a breath to steel herself. No mind. Mo matter who she named, she would wear them down. If not immediately, then by the time her year was over.

The woman seemed to chuckle, laughing at her. "My son."

The girl's heart fell through her ribcage and into her stomach as one of the most gorgeous men she had ever seen walked through the crowd, head held high. His dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, curling into his high cheekbones. Dark eyes set in his head, his mouth was curved into a smirk. Layers of clothing wrapped around a thin, trimmed, muscular body, a goatee of hair trailing down his chin. His shirts hung undone, and from the way he flexed when she looked she knew he was taunting her…
Well two could play that game.
Looking away, focusing on the woman, she crossed her arms. "Him? He wouldn't last a week, let alone a year." The girl said, tossing her head and treating him to an icy glare. He fed her one back, licking his lips and heating it up, along with her face.
"He's an idiot, I can see it," she snapped. "And I will not sail with him!"
"You will!" The woman barked. "Or you will not sail at all, Miss Ferox. Would you like that?"

Begrudgingly, and unable to hide the hate again, the girl narrowed her eyes at the woman.

"Fine." She spat bitterly, turning around. "But don't expect me back any second sooner than I have to be." She snarled over her shoulder, and didn't look back past that. "Come on, you cur." She spat, not looking at the breathtakingly, feet sweepingly beautiful boy. "Move your ass, before I move it for you." She said, still not looking at the way his loose hairs fell into his eyes, the way his face glowed as he smirked, nodding and waving to his bitch of a mother as he followed her out, attempting to move in front of her in the small hallway. The doors slammed shut behind them as he slid up closer, and she slammed her hand into the wall, muscles in her arm flexing. "Don't," She barked. "Even try it!" She said with a hiss, turning and pushing him back. "I am captain. You aren't my babysitter, co-captain, or anything like that, so knock those thoughts from your mind!" She pushed one finger into his chest. "And you will always walk behind me. Never beside, or in front. Got it?"

He crossed his arms and shrugged. "Hey, whatever you say." He said, smirking. Somehow, she doubted his sincerity, but turned away anyways, storming down the halls. That woman had a cruel sense of humor…Damn her to hell.

But, no mind, she told herself. I can do this. I'll show her…I'll make her eat her words…And I won't come back in her stupid year.